Before this week’s Judiciary Committee hearing exploring Bush’s warrantless-search program, there were at least seven Senate Republicans who had expressed concerns about the program’s legality. During the hearing, the number seemed to expand to eight, with Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) expressing reservations.
Now, a key House Republican is also breaking ranks.
A House Republican whose subcommittee oversees the National Security Agency broke ranks with the White House on Tuesday and called for a full Congressional inquiry into the Bush administration’s domestic eavesdropping program.
The lawmaker, Representative Heather A. Wilson of New Mexico, chairwoman of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said in an interview that she had “serious concerns” about the surveillance program. By withholding information about its operations from many lawmakers, she said, the administration has deepened her apprehension about whom the agency is monitoring and why.
Ms. Wilson, who was a National Security Council aide in the administration of President Bush’s father, is the first Republican on either the House’s Intelligence Committee or the Senate’s to call for a full Congressional investigation into the program, in which the N.S.A. has been eavesdropping without warrants on the international communications of people inside the United States believed to have links with terrorists.
Like Kevin, I think this is an issue that’s becoming a wedge for the GOP, dividing principled conservatives who are concerned about the abuse of sweeping government power vs. ideologues who believe it’s more important to protect Bush’s political standing than the rule of law.
Of course, when it comes to Heather Wilson, protecting her political future may be the most important consideration of all.
Wilson represents a very competitive district near Albuquerque, and this year she’ll face a very popular state Attorney General, Patricia Madrid (D). Indeed, the same day Wilson announced that she found the administration’s approach to be “increasingly untenable,” the Madrid campaign released a poll showing the two practically tied — Wilson 44%, Madrid 43%.
Regardless of Wilson’s motivations, her criticism is a big deal. As the chorus of GOP critics grows, it gets harder and harder for the administration to characterize this controversy as a partisan fight. It also undermines the White House drive to dismiss critics as national security weaklings with a pre-9/11 worldview.
Wilson, in particular, is a former Air Force officer and the only female veteran currently in Congress — and she shows no sign of backing down.
“The president has his duty to do, but I have mine too, and I feel strongly about that,” she said.